The Honorable James F. Garnsey Booklet
Authored by Janet C. Kirkland IHS '57
Ms. Janet Kirkland (Ilion's first female Trustee) compiled and presented this document,
as a gift, to fellow Democrat James F. Garnsey in 1988.
Republished with the permission of Mr. James F. Garnsey, Ilion's longest serving Mayor!
VILLAGE BOARDS
MAYORS
TRUSTEES
ILION, NEW YORK
Incorporated 1852
In 1987, the Village Board decided that the Municipal Building should have something to recognize those who have been elected to the Office of Mayor or Trustee.
The 'Mayor's Wall' has become a reality and is dedicated to all who have devoted time to the Village of Ilion and its people.
Mayor: Joseph D. Collea,Jr.
Trustees:
Marilyn Slaughter
Mary Lupinski
Emmett Gollegly
Janet Kirkland
VILLAGE OF ILION
On October 4, 1852 a petition was filed in the Herkimer County Court of Sessions for the Incorporation of the Village of Ilion.
The Honorable Ezra Graves, County Judge, presided with Justices H. Randall and H. R. Wood. The Order of Incorporation was given on October 6, 1852.
A vote on the Incorporation, by the residents, was held on October 30, 1852 and of the 68 votes cast - 57 voted 'yes' and Judge Graves signed the affidavit that the Incorporation papers 'are in all respects legal.'
The government of Ilion was to be a Village Board. Five Trustees would be elected each year in March and they, in turn, would elect from themselves a President of the Board.
On November 30, 1852, five men were elected to serve until March, 1853 when the first Village Meeting would be held for the purpose of electing a Village Board.
PRESIDENT (MAYOR)
From 1853 to 1884, the President was one of the elected Trustees - chosen by his peers to serve as President.
In 1884, the President was, for the first time, elected to the office by the citizens of the Village. The term of office was one year.
From 1884 to 1949, the President of Ilion was elected for one year while the Trustees were elected for two-year terms.
In 1949, the office of President became a two-year term. The President and two Trustees to be elected in the odd years and the other two Trustees in the even years. At present - 1988 - this is still the practice.
In 1986, Local Law No. 4, officially changed the name from President to Mayor.
Mayors
As of 1988, there have been fifty-three men elected to the position of President or Mayor.
From 1852 to 1884, when the President was chosen by the Board of Trustees from among themselves - twelve (12) men held the office. Philo Osgood served for eleven (11) years and Philo Remington for five(5).
From 1884 to the present (1988), the people of Ilion have elected forty-two (42) men as President/Mayor. Philo Remington was the first to be elected by the citizens and served two one-year terms. He was President for a total of seven (7) years.
Since the election of Mayors began in 1884, the average number of years served by Mayors is two. The following have served the longest time in office:
James F. Garnsey - 10 years
Oliver Coleman - 9 years
Frank Whitney - 7 years
Dr. Y. L. Power - 5 years
John B. Morris - 5 years
PRESIDENT/MAYORS |
John A. Rasbach
1852 - 1853, 1856 - 1857, 1859 - 1860 |
Eliphalet Remington
1853 - 1855 |
A. D. Keeler
1855 - 1856 |
Philip R. Pryme
1857 - 1859 |
Samuel Remington
1860 - 1861 |
Philo Remington
1861 - 1866, 1884 - 1886 |
Philo Osgood
1866 - 1877 |
Harvey Hakes
1877 - 1879 |
John V. Schmidt
1879 - 1881 |
Matthew Sterling
1881 - 1882 |
Arthur Taylor
1882 - 1883 |
Freeman L. Twiss
1883 - 1884 |
John Thomas
1886 - 1887 |
Charles Carpenter
1887 - 1889 |
James Conkling
1889 - 1890 |
George 0. Rasbach
1890 - 1892 |
Dr. A. J. Douglass
1892 - 1893 |
C. Smith Ingham
1893 - 1895 |
James M. Dygert
1895 - 1897 |
A. D. Morgan
1897 - 1899 |
N. A. Hanchett
1899 - 1900 |
D.E. Walker
1900 - 1901 |
Anthony Steber
1901 - 1905 |
Seward Hakes
1905 - 1906 |
Walter C. Rix
1906 - 1907 |
Edward C. Whitmore
1907 - 1908 |
Lynn G. Carver
1908 - 1909 |
Fayette Getman
1909 - 1910 |
Frank D. DeLong
1910 - 1912 |
Abram Dengler
1912 - 1914 |
Philip H. Ward
1914 - 1917 |
Edward Bedford
1917 - 1918, 1919 - 1920 |
George Schesch
1918 - 1919 |
Theodore Schmidt
1920 - 1921 |
Roscoe Whiter
1921 - 1924 |
Rome Worden
1924 - 1926 |
Walter Van Wiggeren
1926 - 1928 |
Carl Betzinger
1928 - 1930 |
Oliver S. Coleman
1930 - 1932, 1939 - 1945, 1947 - 1948 |
Frank C. Whitney
1932 - 1939 |
Frank M. Bellinger
1945 - 1947 |
Dr. Y. L. Power
1948 - 1953 |
Cyrus Deyle
1953 - 1955 |
Jack Manley
1955 - 1959 |
Thomas Williams
1959 - 1961 |
Herman Stubley
1961 - 1963 |
Donald Hall
1963 - 1965 |
John B. Morris
1965 - 1969, 1986 - 1987 |
Bernard C. Murray
1969 - 1971 |
James F. Garnsey
1971 - 1981 |
David Wickersham
1981 - 9/1985 |
Thomas Lester
9/1985 - 1986 |
Joseph D. Collea, Jr.
1987 - |
TRUSTEES
The Board of Trustees was set as the governing body of the Village of Ilion.
From 1852 to 1865 five Trustees were elected each year for a one-year term.
In 1865, the election of a Trustee was set for a five-year term. At this time, each of the five positions was on the ballot for a specific term - from one to five years - in preparation for one Trustee to be elected each year to the five-year term.
From 1864-1884, Trustees served a five-year term.
In 1884 - the first time the President is elected by the citizens - the Trustee term is changed to two years. Two Trustees would be elected each year.
From 1884 - Present (1988) Trustees are elected for two-years; two being elected each year.
One hundred and ninety-one people have been elected or appointed Trustee in the Village of Ilion.
From 1884, when Mayors were elected by the population, seventeen (17) Trustees have also been elected Mayor.
In 1975, Janet Kirkland was the first woman elected Trustee. At present (1988), three other women have also been elected.
The Trustees have averaged 2.5 years of service. The following served the longest time in office:
Philo Remington |
24 years |
Elliott T. Lester |
16 years |
Philo Osgood |
12 years |
Frank J. Miller |
10 years |
Frank A. Morrison |
10 years |
Thomas Lester |
9.5 years |
Janet Kirkland |
9 years |
Louis A. Lory |
8 years |
Thomas Richardson |
7 years |
John V. Schmidt |
7 years |
L. Dale Connors |
6 years |
Seward Hakes |
6 years |
Glendon Kasarda |
6 years |
Louis H. Lory |
6 years |
James Marsland |
6 years |
Bernard Murray |
6 years |
Robert Reynolds |
6 years |
Harold Riddell |
6 years |
TRUSTEES |
John A. Rasbach |
10/1852 - 3/1853, 3/1856 - 3/1857, 3/1859 - 3/1860 |
John Harrington |
10/1852 - 3/1853 |
Conrad Folts |
10/1852 - 3/1853 |
Phineas Gates |
10/1852 - 3/1853 |
Alexander Underwood |
10/1852 - 3/1853 |
Eliphalet Remington |
3/1853 - 3/1855 |
A. D. Keeler |
3/1853 - 3/1854, 3/1855 - 3/1855 |
William H. Thomas |
3/1853 - 3/1854 |
Jacob Getman |
3/1853 - 3/1854, 3/1855 - 3/1856 |
Egbert Owen |
3/1853 - 3/1854, 3/1859 - 3/1860 |
Jacob Myers |
3/1854 - 3/1855 |
William C. Barnes |
3/1854 - 3/1855 |
Abraham Elwood |
3/1854 - 3/1855 |
Charles W. Carpenter |
3/1854 - 3/1855, 3/1866 - 3/1870 |
Nicholas Steele |
3/1855 - 3/1856 |
Joseph Budlong |
3/1855 - 3/1856 |
Louis Stevens |
3/1855 - 3/1856 |
John Paddock |
3/1856 - 3/1857 |
Samuel Remington |
3/1856 - 3/1857, 3/1860 - 3/1861 |
Philip H. Pryme |
3/1856 - 3/1859 |
John Ingersoll |
3/1856 - 3/1857 |
A. A. Morgan |
3/1857 - 3/1859 |
D. Petrie |
3/1857 - 3/1858 |
David D. Devoe |
3/1857 - 3/1858, 3/1860 - 3/1861 |
James Conklin |
3/1857 - 3/1858 |
M. Steber |
3/1858 - 3/1859 |
James M. Dygert |
3/1858 - 3/1860 |
Philo Remington |
3/1859 - 3/1860, 3/1861 - 3/1884 |
Floyd C. Shepard |
3/1859 - 3/1861, 3/1863 - 3/1865, 3/1874 - 3/1879 |
J.F. Thomas |
3/1860 - 3/1861 |
Denis Dygert |
3/1860 - 3/1861 |
Jacob Chismore |
3/1861 - 3/1862, 3/1870 - 3/1875 |
John Hoefler |
3/1861 - 3/1865 |
William J. Lewis |
3/1861 - 3/1865 |
H.H. Rogers |
3/1861 - 3/1863 |
A. E. Brooks |
3/1862 - 3/1865 |
Justin B. Pelton |
3/1865 - 3/1869 |
Seth E. Pelton |
3/1865 - 3/1866 |
Philo Osgood |
3/1865 - 3/1877 |
Thomas Richardson |
3/1865 - 5/1865, 3/1866 - 3/1873 |
L. L. Merry |
6/1865 - 3/1866 |
Ansel M. Ross |
3/1869 - 3/1874 |
Thomas A. Morgan |
3/1873 - 3/1878 |
Harvey Hakes |
3/1875 - 3/1880 |
Dr. Hamblin B. Maben |
3/1877 - 9/1877 |
Samuel H. Kinne |
10/1877 - 3/1878 |
John V. Schmidt |
3/1878 - 3/1885 |
Matthew Sterling |
3/1878 - 3/1883 |
Freeman L. Twiss |
4/1879 - 3/1884 |
Arthur Taylor |
3/1880 - 3/1884 |
John Irlam |
3/1883 - 3/1886 |
Lewis Walker |
3/1884 - 3/1885 |
Samuel Russell |
3/1884 - 3/1885 |
Albert M. Ross |
3/1885 - 3/1886 |
Charles Carpenter |
3/1885 - 3/1887 |
F. C. Shepard |
3/1888 - 3/1890 |
George Wilfert |
3/1885 - 3/1889 |
George Leach |
3/1886 - 3/1890 |
Richard Winegar |
3/1886 - 3/1888 |
0. B. Tufts |
3/1887 - 3/1889 |
James E. Ballard |
3/1889 - 3/1891 |
Seward Hakes |
3/1889 - 3/1893, 3/1909 - 3/1911 |
Anthony Steber |
3/1890 - 3/1892 |
Nelson A. Hanchett |
3/1890 - 3/1892 |
Harrington P. Whitney |
3/1891 - 3/1893 |
Michael L. Burke |
3/1892 - 3/1894 |
John Van Gumster |
3/1892 - 3/1894 |
Henry Brand |
3/1893 - 3/1895 |
William Onyans |
3/1893 - 3/1895 |
Samuel Halliwell |
3/1894 - 3/1896 |
Moses B. Flanders |
3/1894 - 3/1896 |
Samuel Segur |
3/1895 - 3/1897 |
Frederick W. Aicheler |
3/1895 - 3/1897 |
John S. Nichols |
3/1896 - 3/1900 |
Frederick Joerissen |
3/1896 - 3/1900 |
Reuben Hotaling |
3/1897 - 3/1899, 3/1900 - 3/1902 |
C. A. Halliday |
3/1897 - 11/1997 |
L. N. Walker |
11/1897 - 3/1901 |
James Marsland |
3/1899 - 3/1905 |
Henry Wilcox |
3/1900 - 2/1902 |
Frank B. Sullivan |
3/1901 - 3/1905 |
B. A. Witte |
3/1902 - 3/1906 |
Conrad Klippel |
3/1902 - 3/1904 |
L.F. Joerissen |
3/1904 - 11/1904 |
Walter C. Rix |
3/1905 - 3/1906 |
Abram E. Dengler |
3/1905 - 3/1909 |
Dr. Henry J. Hunter |
3/1905 - 3/1909 |
Lynn G. Carver |
3/1906 - 3/1908 |
L. E. Hollister |
3/1906 - 3/1910 |
George E. Gough |
3/1908 - 3/1912 |
H. C. Knandel |
3/1909 - 3/1911 |
Orville E. Young |
3/1910 - 3/1914 |
Walter Arnold |
3/1911 - 3/1915 |
Elliott M. Gay |
3/1911 - 3/1915 |
Floyd C. Ackler |
3/1912 - 3/1914 |
Edward 0 Davies |
3/1914 - 3/1916 |
Howard L. Doty |
3/1914 - 3/1918 |
W. T. Jones |
3/1915 - 3/1917 |
H. P. Hamlin |
3/1915 - 3/1917 |
Floyd A. Clayton |
3/1916 - 3/1918 |
John D. Luke |
3/1917 - 3/1919 |
Louis L. Burghoff |
3/1917 - 3/1918 |
Irving P. Robson |
3/1918 - 3/1920 |
Harrison Fay |
3/1918 - 3/1920 |
Fred Weisbecker |
5/1918 - 3/1919 |
Charles L. Jones |
3/1919 - 3/1921 |
Frank C. Whitney |
3/1919 - 3/1921 |
Charles Klossner |
3/1920 - 3/1923 |
Frederick Jochmus |
3/1920 - 3/1924 |
John A. Burkhart |
3/1921 - 3/1925 |
Robert E. Patterson |
3/1921 - 3/1925 |
Barthold Sackett |
3/1923 - 3/1926 |
Harry B. Wilkens |
3/1924 - 3/1926 |
Louis H. Lory |
3/1925 - 3/1931 |
Walter Van Wiggeren |
3/1925 - 2/1926 |
Clarence Getman |
2/1926 - 3/1931 |
Thomas Harrison |
3/1926 - 3/1929 |
Carl Betzinger |
3/1926 - 3/1928 |
Oliver S. Coleman |
3/1928 - 3/1930 |
William H. Young |
3/1929 - 3/1930 |
Grover W. Radley |
3/1930 - 3/1932 |
James A. Scott |
3/1930 - 3/1932 |
John W. Smith |
3/1931 - 3/1933 |
Leo T. Murphy |
3/1931 - 3/1933 |
Edward H. Grainger |
3/1932 - 3/1934 |
James A. Smith |
3/1933 - 3/1935 |
James w. Keller |
3/1933 - 3/1935 |
Clayton A. Foote |
3/1934 - 3/1938 |
Charles A. Paddock |
3/1934 - 3/1938 |
William A. Maury |
3/1935 - 3/1937 |
Caius Nichols |
3/1935 - 3/1937 |
Louis A. Lory |
3/1937 - 3/1945 |
Frank A. Morrison |
3/1937 - 3/1947 |
Elliott T. Lester |
3/1938- 3/1948, 3/1955 - 3/1961 |
Frank J. Miller |
3/1938 - 3/1948 |
John S. Thomas |
3/1945 - 3/1947 |
Peter L. Hagan |
3/1947 - 3/1949 |
Frank E. Sheffield |
3/1947 - 3/1949 |
Clarence A. Myers |
3/1948 - 10/1949 |
Howard F. Fifield |
3/1948 - 3/1950 |
Jerome L. Urtz |
3/1949 - 3/1953 |
George E. Dack |
3/1949 - 3/1951, 3/1952 - 11/1952 |
Harold J. Casey |
10/1949 - 3/1950 |
George F. Hildebrandt |
3/1950 - 3/1952 |
Harold E. Walrath |
3/1950 - 3/1952 |
Cyrus Deyle |
3/1951 - 3/1953 |
Arthur D. Kerr |
3/1952 - 3/1956 |
Edward Sullivan |
3/1953 - 3/1955 |
Miles Hammond |
3/1953 - 3/1957 |
Elwyn Swarthout |
3/1953 - 3/1956 |
Thomas S. Williams |
3/1956 - 3/1959 |
Dr. Arthur Leistyna |
3/1956 - 3/1958 |
William Momberger |
3/1957 - 3/1959, 8/1959 - 3/1962 |
Murray Mixer |
3/1958 - 9/1959 |
Norman Menard |
10/1959 - 3/1960 |
Dr. G. Roger Weeden |
3/1959 - 3/1961 |
Herman T. Stubley |
3/1960 - 3/1961 |
John B. Morris |
3/1961 - 3/1963 |
Richard K. Powers |
3/1961 - 3/1965 |
John H. Sweeney |
5/1961 - 3/1962 |
Bernard C. Murray |
3/1962 - 3/1968 |
Donald Hall |
3/1962 - 3/1963 |
Melvin Sitterly |
3/1963 - 3/1965 |
Malvin Applegate |
3/1963 - 3/1964 |
John Brewer |
3/1964 - 3/1966 |
John J. Janicki |
3/1965 - 3/1967 |
George H. Long |
3/1965 - 3/1969 |
David E. Lonis |
3/1966 - 4/1971 |
Edson J. Wood |
3/1967 - 3/1971 |
Harold H. Riddell |
3/1968 - 3/1974 |
Robert J. Reynolds |
3/1969 - 3/1975 |
James E. Spellman |
3/1971 - 3/1975 |
Michael E. DeRocco |
4/1971 - 3/1972 |
Joseph L. Kinville |
3/1972 - 3/1976 |
Jacob L. Cooper |
3/1974 - 3/1976 |
Janet C. Kirkland |
3/1975 - 3/1983, 3/1987 - 3/1988 |
L. Dale Connors |
3/1975 - 3/1981 |
Thomas Lester |
3/1976 - 9/1985 |
Robert Bulson |
3/1976 - 3/1980 |
David Wickersham |
3/1980 - 3/1981 |
Glendon Kasarda |
3/1981 - 3/1987 |
George Bracken |
3/1981 - 3/1982 |
Joseph D. Collea, Jr. |
3/1982 - 3/1987 |
Kenneth Dack, Jr. |
3/1983 - 3/1985 |
Fay Davis |
3/1985- 3/1987 |
Carl Menge |
10/85 - 3/1986 |
Marilyn Slaughter |
3/1986 |
Mary Lupinski |
3/1987 |
Emmett Gollegly |
3/1987 |
Stephen A. Canipe |
3/1988 |
ilionalumni.com additional comment below
Note * - Herman 'Ben' Stubley was Ilion's youngest elected Mayor. He was 32 years old when he was elected Mayor in 1961. As of 1975, he held more public offices than any other Ilionite. He served as assessor, trustee, mayor, town supervisor and on the Ilion Central School Board.
see Utica Daily Observer - February 2, 1975 c/o www.fultonahistory.com
Created and maintained by Aileen Carney Sweeney - Class of 1974
Digital Image Copyright & Copyright © 1997 - 2023 ilionalumni.com
Modified November 15, 2023